Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages

 What are the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones?
Mobile phones are considered one of the most important inventions in human history.
Mobile phones play a major role in our lives, which brings many benefits to us but also contains
some drawbacks. Both these sides will be discussed in this essay.
Generally, the mobile phone will certainly bring about a lot of advantages. First of all, the
mobile phone is considered the quickest means of communication in our daily life. We can
contact easily with our friends and our relatives by calling or sending messages. Second, the
mobile phone is also a means of entertainment for people. We can listen to music and play games
on mobile phone. Moreover, by using the latest apps for smartphones, we can access to the
internet to watch films.
On the other hand, the mobile phone also has many disadvantages. First, it is harmful for
your health if you use it too much because it can release radiation which influences eyes and
brain. Studies have shown that using mobile phones for a long time may cause memory loss.
Besides, mobile phones can make people addicted. Many people can’t keep their eyes and hands
off the mobile phone. As a result, they can’t concentrate on work and study and waste a lot of
time.
In conclusion, mobile phone is necessary for our modern lives today. However, it is helpful
or not, which depends on our ways of using it. It will be better if we use it true purpose and at an
appropriate time.
 1. Sample Analysis
• 1. How many paragraphs are there? What are they?
• 2. What is the function of each paragraph?
• 3. How many advantages of mobile phones are there? What are they?
• 4. How many disadvantages of mobile phones are there? What are they?
• 5. Underline linking words.
 VOCABULARY
1. Human history: lịch sử loài người
2. Play a key role/ a major role/ an important role in….: (v) đóng vai trò quan trọng
3. Benefit >< drawback: (n) lợi ích >< bất lợi
4. A means of communication/ a means of entertainment: Phương tiện giao tiếp/ giải trí
5. Daily life: cuộc sống hàng ngày
6. Access the internet (v): truy cập internet
7. Release radiation (v): giải thoát chất phóng xạ
8. Influence (v) = affect (v): ảnh hưởng
9. Make people addicted(v) gây nghiện
10. Concentrate on (v): tập trung
11. Can’t keep your eyes off smth (v): không thể rời mắt khỏi cái gì
 2. Essay Structure
Introduction - Background information
- Thesis statement
Body paragraph 1: - Advantage 1
Advantages - Advantage 2
- Advantage 3
Body paragraph 2: - Disadvantage 1
Disadvantages - Disadvantage 2
- Disadvantage 3
Conclusion - Restatement
- Give advice
 Sample analysis
1. What is the thesis statement?
2. Complete the following table
ADVANTAGES
the quickest means of communication
contact easily with our friends and
our relatives
a means of entertainment for people
listen to music and play games
3. Link words?
Both these sides will be discussed in this essay
DISADVANTAGES
harmful for your health
which influences eyes and brain.
cause memory loss
make people addicted
can’t keep their eyes and hands off
concentrate on work and study and waste
a lot of time
 3. VOCABULARY
• Advantages: benefits, upsides, positive aspects.
• Disadvantages: drawbacks, downsides, negative aspects.
• Linking words:
To list ideas: First, second, third, last……..
To add more information: Besides, Moreover, In addition…..
To show contrast: However, In contrast, Nevertheless, On the other hand…..
 Nowadays, many young people choose to leave their hometown to live and work in the city.
However, there are different opinions about whether living in the city is a good option. Some are
attracted to the bright lights and busy streets offered by city life, while others would rather keep a
distance from such an environment.
On the one hand, life in the city can be a lot of fun and comfortable. First, it is easier to get a well-
paid job. There are a lot of foreign companies that offer good salaries for employees. All you have to do
is write good CV and apply to the positions that best suit you. Second, people who live in the city
always have better access to education. Every city has at least one university and many other
opportunities for people of all ages to complete studies. Moreover, there is a wide range of things for
people to enjoy such as public transport, hospitals, shopping centers and a wide variety of entertainment
activities.
On the other hand, there are many disadvantages of city life. First, the main streets are always
crowed and life can get really stressful when you have to travel to work or do the shopping. Besides, the
lack of safety is a very big problem because crime rate has increased in recent years. It is dangerous to
walk alone at night and children can’t not enjoy security when playing in the streets. Furthermore,
pollution is a big problem of city life. Smoke from cars and factories pollutes the air and damages
people’s health.
In conclusion, it can be said that life in a city comes with good and bad aspects. Obviously, it can
offer residents a number of benefits. Nevertheless, some people can never get used to the fast life in big
cities.
1. A good option: sự lựa chọn phù hợp
2. Be attracted to smth (a): bị hấp dẫn bởi
3. Keep a distance from (v): giữ khoảng cách
4. Well-paid job (n): việc lương cao
5. Suit sb: (v) phù hợp với ai
6. Access to education: (n) sự tiếp cận giáo dục
7. A wide range of = a variety of = a lot of
8. Crime rate (n): tỉ lệ tội phạm
9. Security (n): an ninh, an toàn
10. Pollute the air (v); gây ô nhiễm không khí
11. Damage people’s health: hủy hoại sức khỏe
 4.1 Complete the table
Advantages Disadvantages
   
 
  Crowded and stressful traffic
  Easy to get a well-paid job
  Better access to education Lack of safety and high crime rate
 
 
  Wide range of things to enjoy Air pollution
 
4.2. Find the words in the text that are used to:
On the other hand
- Show contrast: …………………………………………………………………
First, second
Besides, furthermore, moreover
- List/ add points: ………………………………………………………………………
In conclusion
- Introduce a conclusion: ………………………………………………………… 
4.3. Fill in the blanks the right linking words.
1. Living in the countryside can be very difficult because there aren’t many facilities.
Furthermore,
……………..it is difficult to find a job.
First
2. There are many advantages to living in the countryside. …………………., it is quiet and
Second
peaceful. …………., in the countryside the air is very clean and fresh, which is very good for
health.
However
3. Some people really like living in the countryside. …………………, there are some facilities that
Besides
they miss such as hospitals, public transports, and shopping centers. ………….. there is sometimes
a feeling of isolation that some people experience.
 5. Vegetarian diets
1. Vegetables and fruits provide vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy
body.
2. Vegetarian diets contain low amount of fats and cholesterol.
3. This may lead to bone diseases and memory loss
4. It reduces the risk of weight gain and obesity.
5. Vegetarians lack essential nutrients provided by meat such as calcium, iron or zinc
6. Few animals are skilled for food.
7. Companies that produce and sell meat products face great difficulties
8. This helps save endangered animals and solve the problem of animal extinction.
Advantages: 1, 2, 4, 6, Disadvantages: 3,5,7
8
 VOCABULARY
1. Improve (v): tăng cường, cải thiện
2. Provide vitamins and minerals: (v) cung cấp vitamin và khoáng chất
3. Essential (v): thiết yếu
4. Source of protein: nguồn cung cấp protein
5. Reduce (v): giảm
6. The risk of weight gain and obesity: nguy cơ tăng cân và béo phì.
7. Lead to smth (v): dẫn tới, gây ra
8. Nutrients: (n) chất dinh dưỡng
9. Endangered animals: động vật hoang dã bị đe dọa
10.Extinction: tuyệt chủng
11.A lack of smth: sự thiếu hụt
12.Obstacle (n): trở ngại
13.Bankrupt (a): phá sản
14.Can’t be denied: không thể phủ nhận
• A. On the one hand, being a vegetarian brings a number of benefits. First, human health can be
improved. Vegetables and fruits provide vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy body.
Beans, tofu, seeds are also some good sources of proteins. Besides, vegetarian diets contain low amount
of fats and cholesterol. As a result, it reduces the risk of weight gain and obesity.
• B. Today, having a healthy diet is becoming more and more important. Some people are choosing meat-
free meals as their daily diet. There are certain advantages and disadvantages of having a vegetarian diet.
• C. On the other hand, the drawbacks of being a veggie can’t be denied. First, removing meats from
meals can lead to an unbalanced diet. Vegetarians lack essential nutrients provided by meat such as
calcium, iron or zinc. This may lead to bone diseases and memory loss and negatively affects children in
their physical growth. B –A– D – C – F– E
• D. Secondly, stopping eating meat can be a way to protect the environment. Few animals are skilled for
food. This helps save endangered animals and solve the problem of animal extinction.
• E. In conclusion, everything has its two sides, and so is vegetarian lifestyle. While it is a good way to
solve such health problems as obesity and protects animal rights, it leads to great lack of protein and
nutrients as well as slow down the meat-production industry.
• F. Secondly, the growth of vegetarian lifestyles can be an obstacle for food industry. Companies that
produce and sell meat products face great difficulties and can be bankrupt. Many people lose their job and
the economy is seriously affected.
• 6. Homework. Write an essay about ONE of the following topics:
• - The advantages and disadvantages of the Internet.
• - The advantages and disadvantages of using cars.
• - The advantages and difficulties of learning English.